It was a little over a year ago that, at long last, center Dwight Howard was sent out of Orlando and landed with the Lakers—part of an intricate, star-studded, four-team trade. And a little more than six years ago, the Celtics paved the way to a championship by sending five players to Minnesota for Kevin Garnett.

In the depths of the summer, sometimes big things can still happen in the NBA. This year, though, don’t expect much. As we head into the NBA’s slowest of times, there are players who are being discussed in trade talks, but as of yet no moves are forthcoming and probably won’t be until the season gets underway. Still, there are names worth watching:

Rajon Rondo, Celtics. The wave of phone calls the Celtics received in early July about Rondo has passed, and according to league sources, Boston never seriously entertained dealing their flighty point guard. Rumored talks with Detroit were “overblown,” a source said, and Rondo does not want out of Boston. Rondo is coming off ACL surgery, which bumps down his value, and the Celtics were not planning on selling low regardless. The plan still is to hand the keys to Rondo and see how he works with new coach Brad Stevens. Teams will continue to call and rumors will continue to emerge, but the Celtics want to give Rondo a shot to be the marquee name on this team. That’s not to say Boston isn’t looking into deals—the Celtics would love to move Gerald Wallace or Kris Humphries, who were acquired in the Kevin Garnett-Paul Pierce trade, or Brandon Bass.

Danny Granger, Pacers. Last month, Paul George insisted that he was looking forward to Granger’s return and that the two could thrive on the court together. But that requires Granger to play small forward and George out of position at shooting guard. Last season, which saw Granger play just five games, the Pacers thrived with George as a forward and Lance Stephenson at shooting guard. Granger would be a good option as a sixth man, but he was the face of the franchise until recently and has been a starter since his second season, indicating no willingness to come off the bench. Granger is in the last year of his contract (at $14 million) and it is doubtful that the Pacers would be able to get a strong return for him.

Marcin Gortat, Suns. When the Suns drafted Alex Len with the No. 5 pick, the assumption was that they’d rush to move Gortat. It’s still a possibility, but there is no hurry. The team didn’t get any attractive offers for Gortat in July, and with Len recovering from shoulder surgery, it wouldn’t hurt Phoenix to enter the season with Gortat on the roster and gamble that playoff hopefuls will start a bidding war for one of the league’s more underrated big men, who has one year left on his deal at $7.7 million. As one general manager told SN, “He is one guy I think you’re going to see a lot of teams bidding for. He is a great addition if you’re close to being a contender or you want to push up in the playoffs.”

Omer Asik, Rockets. There hasn’t been much to talk about recently with regard to an Asik trade, but the signing of Marcus Camby at the end of July certainly opens the way for more tangible discussions. Asik wasn’t going to be happy as Dwight Howard’s backup, and with a reserve like Camby on board, the Rockets now can deal Asik from a position of strength. The team has denied that Asik is on the block, but the roster seems to dictate otherwise. If any major player is a candidate for a trade before opening night, it is Asik.

Zach Randolph, Grizzlies. In the past eight months, the Grizzlies’ new front-office regime has traded away star forward Rudy Gay and allowed coach Lionel Hollins to walk away in favor of assistant coach Dave Joerger. The direction here is clear—the Grizzlies’ bunch that has enjoyed the most successful run in franchise history is on the wane, and the front office wants to stay ahead of that decline. That means Randolph figures to be very much available this season. He is 32, and though he is still a force inside, his numbers are sinking. He has a player option in his contract next summer.

Rudy Gay, Raptors. Toronto isn’t going into the season beating the trade-Rudy drum, but if things don’t go well out of the gate with the Raptors, expect him to hit the block. New general manager Ujiri Masai has plenty of job security and can afford to move Gay, who is part of the legacy of his predecessor, Bryan Colangelo. Gay is slated to get $17.9 million this year, and has a player option for $19.3 million next season. That makes a trade difficult.

Anderson Varejao, Cavaliers. The big question in Cleveland is whether Andrew Bynum can stay healthy, and for how long. If he is able to put his knee troubles behind him, then Varejao—who has one year at $9.1 million and a team option on his contract after that—will be made available. Varejao is coming off a knee injury and has a trade kicker (which requires a bump up in salary should he be dealt), but the kicker is only 5 percent and should not impede a deal. As of now, a source told Sporting News, Varejao is not seeking a trade and the Cavs are not shopping him. But a healthy Bynum would change that.